Anxious Swiss nationals in Gulf caught in limbo

Smoke rises above Dubai following an Iranian attack: The airspace above Dubai and parts of the Gulf region remains temporarily closed. Keystone / AP

Missile alerts, airspace closures and frantic phone calls from home: the escalation in the Middle East has left Swiss citizens in the region in a state of uncertainty. We spoke to three Swiss nationals, in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman.

The escalation in the Middle East is affecting the Swiss community. Thousands of Swiss nationals live and work in the countries currently under attack by Iran.

Since the weekend, Swiss nationals in the Middle East have been grappling with practical questions. How serious is the threat? Should we try to leave? When will it even be possible to do so?

The Swiss foreign ministry is calling on Swiss nationals to follow the instructions issued by local authorities, to observe safety measures and to update their contact details via the online portal.

No organised departures are planned at this stage. For emergencies, a 24-hour helpline is available in Bern. Swiss diplomatic representations in the affected countries have remained open and are providing support to Swiss nationals as far as possible.

Local authorities, for instance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have stressed that the supply of food and basic goods is assured. Air defence systems have been activated in several Gulf states. The Swiss foreign ministry is not aware of any Swiss nationals being injured.

So far, there have been no requests for repatriation from Swiss nationals living abroad, the foreign ministry’s head of consular directorate, Marianne Jenni, announced at a media conference on March 2. She is responsible for the crisis centre in Bern, which has been working flat out since February 28 to assist Swiss citizens. Those that have reached out are mainly tourists stranded in the region, rather than expatriates. As Jenni explained, many Swiss citizens living in the affected areas hold dual nationality and are therefore very familiar with the local surroundings.

What is it like when you get an alert on your mobile phone? When you see streaks of light shooting across the sky? When you are called by worried family and friends back home? The following first-hand accounts from Swiss nationals in the UAE, Qatar and Oman show to what extent normality and uncertainty are today intertwined.

From Dubai: ‘a disturbing feeling’

Rosy Pangari has been living in Dubai since the end of 2025. zVg

Rosy Pangari, 52, has been living in Dubai since November. Originally from canton Aargau in northern Switzerland, she worked as a coach for many years before moving to Dubai to set up an online business as a career and job coach. For ten years, Dubai was a holiday destination for her. Now she lives in the Downtown district, a stone’s throw from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

When the first strikes hit Dubai, she was terrified. “I panicked,” she told Swissinfo on March 2. The next day, the local government signalled that it was safe. “I haven’t left my flat since Saturday, but friends tell me that the restaurants are full.” Many people are going about their business as usual. “If it weren’t for the sound of the explosions, you could think everything was normal.”

Meanwhile, she has been reading reports about the strikes and intercepted missiles. “It seems the defence system is working; they say it’s just debris coming down.” But she can’t shake off the anxiety. “It’s a disturbing feeling, when you know missiles are flying overhead.”

Pangari lives on the second floor of a high-rise building. She is now glad of this. “I always thought living high up would be a dream. But the higher you are, the more you see what’s going on. I feel safer lower down.”

For now she’s not thinking about leaving Dubai. “I don’t want to be on a plane in this airspace. I feel safer on the ground.” She first wants to see how things evolve. Her friends and family in Switzerland and Italy – she has dual Swiss-Italian nationality – are worried. “I took plenty of time to call everyone and reassure them I was all right,” said Pangari, who moved to Dubai on her own.

She finds that communication from the Swiss embassy has been rather patchy, but she did receive an email with official information.

From Doha: ‘You get used to certain risks’

A Swiss expatriate in Qatar, meanwhile, has a somewhat different view of things. The 54-year-old from canton Solothurn, in northern Switzerland, wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons. He has worked in the oil business for 25 years, including four years in Iraq, and now manages an energy project in Doha.

He lives in the centre of the Qatari capital. “From time to time you can hear a low rumble, like a thunderstorm. Today there was a series of explosions,” he told Swissinfo on March 2. Missile or anti-aircraft trails are sometimes visible in the sky. This doesn’t bother him, he says matter-of-factly, as he is not the target. “I feel safe enough in my hotel.”

He receives alerts directly on his mobile phone. On February 28, dozens of loud alarms sounded in the hotel lobby, followed by instructions to guests to stay indoors. The Swiss expatriate is registered with the embassy and receives information and notifications from the foreign ministry.

He believes there is not much danger for civilians. “I’ve worked in more dangerous countries. You get used to certain risks.” His family lives in the Netherlands, and he normally commutes between Europe and Qatar. He was scheduled to fly in the next few days, but that now hinges on how the situation unfolds. “We’ll see if I can go.”

The Swiss expat is only indirectly affected by the escalation in hostilities. He has been told to work from home, like during the Covid-19 pandemic, and he knows that the beach clubs are closed and public services are operating at reduced capacity.

Within his international working environment, he has noted different reactions. “Some people are very shaken while others are more composed.” He belongs to the second category.

With regard to the geopolitical dimension, in particular the Strait of Hormuz, he concludes: “This conflict has the potential to become a mega-conflict. But I don’t think anyone really wants that. I assume reason will prevail.”

Oman: ‘The shops are full and people seem calm’

Franz and Pia Feldmann are currently travelling in Oman. zVg

Franz Feldmann, 61, has been travelling with his wife Pia since September 2024External link. They are now in Oman. The situation is hard to assess, he says, as they are far from the major cities. “Basically, it’s all calm,” he told Swissinfo by phone.

The couple knows there have been some strikes, for instance on the port city of Duqm, but they haven’t heard anything where they are. “The shops are full and people seem calm.”

Nevertheless, the geopolitical situation is wreaking havoc with their plans. Their visas expire on March 10 and they are now wondering how best to continue their journey. They had originally intended to travel to Dubai and from there to Turkey via Iraq. “It’s all a bit up in the air; we don’t know exactly what we’ll do next.”

As he sees it, the situation is neither threatening nor dangerous. “We can reassure everyone that it feels the same here as before.” Compared to Dubai, where friends of theirs have reported explosions, Oman could well be the safest option at the moment, he believes.

More than 4,000 Swiss tourists are currently stranded in the region. “No one knows how long this situation will last,” says Jenni, the head of the consular directorate in Bern. To date, the foreign ministry helpline has responded personally to around 1,000 enquiries and handled 1,200 calls automatically. However, the helpline staff can often only refer people to the options currently available.

Many tourists are stuck in their hotels. The foreign ministry is in contact with Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) to explore solutions. However, concrete action will only be possible once the airspace is re-opened. The main thing for now is that all travellers register on the Travel Admin app.

Swiss helpline

Swiss nationals in the Middle East are advised to follow instructions issued by local authorities and to contact their airline or travel agency directly. They are also encouraged to register on the Travel Admin app.External link

The Swiss foreign ministry helpline is available 24 hours a day on [phone] / [phone] or by email at [e-mail].

The Swiss ministry has also broadened its travel advisories for the Middle East. It now advises against tourist and non-essential travel to Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Edited by Balz Rigendinger/Adapted from German by Julia Bassam/ts